So you and your loved one are thinking of having a baby. Great! But before you start warming up the proverbial oven, make sure to consider these 5 realities.

85 percent of women will get pregnant within one year of trying. For some couples, they weren’t even trying, life just happens. The pressure of introducing a baby into the world and being prepared for anything is tough.

Most parents overthink things and undersell themselves. There are a lot of bad parents out there, but chances are you’re not one of them. You’re online trying to be the best parent possible, so that means you cares a lot about having a baby.

If you continue to push yourself to do better and learn new things, you’ll raise a good kid. Here are a few pointers to start you off.

1. Use Family Planning Resources

Don’t be stubborn, don’t ignore all the amazing FPA services out there like https://fpachicago.com/. These places provide an environment of experience, reinforcement, and resources to make childbirth easier. There’s a lot of planning and coordination needed with medical professionals to ensure a safe and healthy childbirth.

2. Shop Smarter

Preparing to have a baby starts before the moment of conception. If your intent is to have a baby, then the earlier you start sourcing baby materials, the better. This includes furniture, clothes, food, toys, and hygiene products.

Oh, and don’t forget to do a little shopping too for mom. She can use all the help that she can get.

3. Breastfeed

Some moms won’t be able to breastfeed, but for everyone else, it should be a priority. Breastfeeding should occur until at least one if not two. Breastfeeding saves you money and is the only way to provide proper nutrition and boost immunities for the baby.

4. Use Cloth Diapers

Another huge financial drain for parents is the constant need for diapers. Disposable diapers, the cheap kind, will cost the average parent $2,000 by the time baby is potty trained. Cloth diapers are better for baby’s skin, are easy to put on, and cost less than 10% of disposables.

Don’t get irked by the idea of tossing soiled diapers into the wash. It’s way less gross than filling bags of garbage with smelly diapers.

5. Learn Routines and Scheduling

The sooner you get used to having your day structured, the easier it will be as parents. Most couples start with scheduled sex to conceive anyway. Now, take this lack of spontaneity and apply it to shared chores, appointments, and alone time. Parenting is much easier when both parents are splitting responsibility evenly.

More Help on Having a Baby

These five tips on having a baby will certainly go a long way in making parenthood easier. There’s a ton of other lessons to learn that you can’t always prepare for, of course. For those days of nonstop crying–by everyone–and getting no sleep, you’ll need a little help.

We highly recommend reading Lifetips. Top for great articles on practicing self-care. This article is super-helpful for sleep and stress relief. Take a deep breath, parenting doesn’t get any easier, but you can do it.